What Happened to Emma Samms? Where the Actress Who Played Holly on ‘General Hospital’ Is Now

In 1982, Emma Samms took on the role of mischievous con artist Holly Sutton on the ABC soap opera General Hospital. The actresses’ on-screen chemistry with co-star Tristan Rogers skyrocketed Holly’s popularity into Super Couple status, but now, over 40 years later, she is no longer on the show, so where is Samms now?

Emma Samms Made Her ‘General Hospital’ Debut in 1982

Samms joined the soap opera as Holly Sutton, a potential love interest for Tony Geary’s Luke Spencer in 1982, but despite being Luke’s “English,” it was her on-screen chemistry with Luke’s best friend, Robert Scorpio, that fans grew to love and root for, as RnH became one of daytime’s most popular couples.

The actress originally left the soap opera in 1985 to pursue a career in primetime. The decision was made to “kill” off Holly, with the character being presumed dead following a plane crash. Meanwhile, Samms went to primetime, where she took over the role of Fallon Carrington Colby from Pamela Sue Martin on the ABC primetime series Dynasty and its spinoff, The Colbys.

Following the conclusion of those franchises, she has appeared on numerous primetime series, including Beverly Hills, 90210 and the Melrose Place spinoff Models Inc., and on the BBC series Holby City and its spinoff Casualty, as well as the daytime soap opera Doctors, where she portrayed Amanda Vardalis.

Over the years, has continued to make guest appearances on General Hospital over the years, beginning with Holly’s return from the dead in 1992. The actress’s most recent return was facilitated in 2024.

Where Is Emma Samms Now?

These days, Samms has moved on from focusing on acting to another form of art, as she shared on her official website, “Acting is my profession, art is my passion”

Samms explains how she balances two very different work styles. “The monochromatic very fine detail of my pen and ink drawings couldn’t be more different from the bold color combinations and broad strokes of my abstract paintings,” she said. “Work on both styles allows me to embrace my love of detail and also my passion for combining colors”, she added.

The actress recently opened her first-ever solo art exhibition in Gloucestershire, a ceremonial county in England.

While the actress hasn’t retired from acting entirely, fans are hoping she will return to General Hospital later this year, when the soap pays tribute to Robert Scorpio following Tristan Rogers’ death.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC and streams weeknights on Hulu.